SS to 5 speed

[BillG]

I'm thinking about converting my SS mtb to five speed (I understand the SS wheels will take five cogs). It's a S&S coupled bike and I'd like to be able to travel some places where one cog may not cut it. Has anyone done this and has any suggestions?

[Wilkinson4]

Jeff Jones had done some mods to an XTR cassette to make that happen. I am not sure if he still does it or of there are other options.

http://jonesbikes.com/blog/?p=251

This may be the thread for you:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=573783


mIKE

[don'TreadOnMe]

Walt Wehner will do it too (waltworks)
http://waltworks.blogspot.com/2010/05/xt-cassette-mods.html

[dogdriver]

I'm thinking about converting my SS mtb to five speed (I understand the SS wheels will take five cogs). It's a S&S coupled bike and I'd like to be able to travel some places where one cog may not cut it. Has anyone done this and has any suggestions?

If you want to keep it simple (ie-- no cables or shifters), how about doing a 3 speed with a triple crankset up front and a Paul Melvin?

http://www.paulcomp.com/melvin.html

You could do a 44-34-24 with a single rear cog and have a pretty wide range of gears and keep the S&S packing relatively simple.

[BillG]

Thanks. This is all very helpful.

[salem]

I've contemplated with a couple friends a 3 speed rear cluster, which would be easy to build from a cheaper cassette assembled with individual cogs (with only 3 cogs, any cassette would be light). The idea was a medium/wide jump between cogs to give uphill, flat, and downhill gears while maintaining good chainline in all three. This would be likely to shift better than three in the front as the physical jumps that the chain would climb are smaller.

[AngryScientist]

how about building up a new rear wheel with a 7 speed IGH?? that seems like a pretty practical solution ?

[BillG]

I might do that, but I was trying not to spend too much dough. I might just do a 3 speed cluster.

[dogdriver]

I've contemplated with a couple friends a 3 speed rear cluster, which would be easy to build from a cheaper cassette assembled with individual cogs (with only 3 cogs, any cassette would be light). The idea was a medium/wide jump between cogs to give uphill, flat, and downhill gears while maintaining good chainline in all three. This would be likely to shift better than three in the front as the physical jumps that the chain would climb are smaller.

True regarding the shifting, but my suggestion includes no derr, shifter, or cables. Shifting the old- fashioned way-- moving the chain. Don't know if Mr Bill wants it this basic, but its a cool way to have a simple bike with some gear options...

[BillG]

True regarding the shifting, but my suggestion includes no derr, shifter, or cables. Shifting the old- fashioned way-- moving the chain. Don't know if Mr Bill wants it this basic, but its a cool way to have a simple bike with some gear options...

I may try this. It's probably the simplest solution and no cable splitters needed! With a 44/34/24 and an 18 or 20 on the back it should have enough heft to ride to the ride, and then enough gears to actually ride the ride!

[keevon]

Just did this with my Cannondale 29er singlespeed (vertical drops with EBB).

- I fit three 9-speed cogs on my Formula SS cassette hub: 15t, 19t, and 23t.

- I then put two chainrings on my cranks: 32t and 36t.

- A cheap friction thumbshifter hooked up to an old Shimano 600 road derailleur handles gear changes in the back.

- Because I have no front derailleur, I have to manually shift the front rings.

I liked the singlespeed, but found the stock gearing too limiting. While I could ride most trails pretty well, I couldn't ride *to* the trails (too easy) and I still had to walk up the really steep stuff (too hard).

With the chain on the 36t chainring, I have three good road gears (36x15, 36x19, 36x23) to get me to the trailhead.

From there I can drop it onto the 32t chainring, and have three good trail gears (32x15, 32x19, 32x23). When it's time to go home, I just have to put the chain back on the 36t chainring.

An added bonus is that, if I ever decide to put on a front derailleur, it's already set up for half-step gearing. In other words, the jump between the two chainrings is half as large as the jump between two cogs. Essentially it would become a 6-speed with no overlaps in gearing.

I'll post pictures tomorrow. 1x3 (or 2x3) is the bomb.

[keevon]

One other suggestion:

If you decide to go with three chainrings and one cog, you don't need to buy an expensive Paul Melvin to make it work.

An old road derailleur (like the Shimano 600 that I previously mentioned) can be set up to perform the same task. Just adjust both limit screws to center the pulleys on the cogs. If the screws aren't long enough, you can find longer ones at your local hardware store. I think it's an M4 screw...

[keevon]

Here it is:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5093/5446743306_b6bde0685c_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5054/5446141165_918bf99171_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5057/5446140965_7c37bf799b_z.jpg

[BillG]

That looks like a brilliant solution. I have an old Suntour Superbe derailleur and with a double on the front, a thumbshifter and a few cogs I should be ready to go.

[salem]

One other suggestion:

If you decide to go with three chainrings and one cog, you don't need to buy an expensive Paul Melvin to make it work.



This is along the lines of what I was thinking when I originally made the suggestion. 1x3, rather than 3x1 seems simpler to me regarding devices needed, unless you are shifting the front of the 3x1 by hand (or even foot!).

I run 1x8 on a number of bikes (and have come up with various devises for keeping the chain on the front ring); I find it suits me. My "single" speed mountain bike is actually 34 and 36 up front, with 19 and 17 in back, for two gears (road and woods, I change by hand at the trail head) with roughly the same chain length and straight chainline.